On October 25, 1983, 6-year-old Shila Patel, an Indian girl, was one of four members of the Patel family killed at the family’s Upshur House Hotel in Gilmer, Texas. The other victims named in reports were her mother, Bhikhi Patel, her 2-year-old brother, Jayesh, and her 9-year-old sister, Jayaben.

Gandabhai Patel, a 38-year-old Indian man, was arrested and indicted by an Upshur County grand jury on four counts of murder. The trial was moved to Marion County because of heavy publicity in Upshur County. Defense counsel argued Gandabhai Patel was insane and did not know his actions were wrong. He was convicted for the murder of his 2-year-old son Jayesh and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

The deaths of Shila, Bhikhi and Jayaben are part of the same case; details in reports focus on the crime’s brutality and the legal proceedings that followed. Does anyone have memories or information about the Upshur House Hotel or the family that could shed light on what happened that day?